In today's extensively wired and unsafe world cryptology plays a vital
role in guarding communication channels, databases, and software from
unwanted intruders. Increased processing and communications speed,
rapidly broadening access and multiplying storage capacity tend to make
systems less secure over time, and security becomes a race against the
relentless creativity of the unscrupulous. The revised and extended
third edition of this classic reference work on cryptology offers a
wealth of new technical and biographical details. The first part reviews
secret codes and their uses - the foundations of cryptography. The
second part deals with the process of covertly decrypting a secret
code - cryptanalysis, and gives particular advice on assessing methods.
The book presupposes only elementary mathematical knowledge. Spiced with
a wealth of exciting, amusing, and sometimes personal accounts from the
history of cryptology, it will also interest general readers.